Sunday-school li brary-record system



(No Model.)

D. W. NEVIN.

SUNDAY SUHOOL LIBRARY RECORD SYSTEM.

No. 354,651,. v Patented Dec. 21, 1886.

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UNITED STATES PATENT 'FFICE.

DAVID W. NEVIN, OF EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

SUNDAY-SCHOOL LIBRARY= RECORD SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 354,651, dated December 21, 1886.

Application filed December 20, 1884. Serial No. 150,850. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID W. NEvIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Easton, in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Sunday-School Library-Record Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawings on file, forming part thereof.

My invention relates to improvements in methods of checking books taken from a library for the purpose of a lengthened examination, and has for its object, first, to avoid writing the name of the book and that of the person taking it out; second, to expedite the exchanging of books when brought back; third, to prevent the taking out of more than one book at a time.

My invention is destined to be used in schools, or in any library belonging to an association or otherwise, where only one book may be carried away at a time.

To carry out my invention I construct a shallow box whose area is proportionate to the number of scholars or persons for whose benefit the library is established. For sake of convenience the size may be seventeen inches wide and forty-four inches long, the depth, say, one and a half inch. Inside the box are screwed suitably-sized hooks at a distance of two and a half inches apart, and beside each hook is a clearly-printed number, beginning with I at the upper left-hand corner, and marking each eleventh hook with a letter of the alphabet. I provide a lid for the purpose of closing the box, and on the inner surface of the said lid I attach an index-sheet printed with as many numbers as there are scholars or readers, every eleventh number being a letter of the alphabet. In fact, this indexsheet is a counterpart of the numbers and letters inside the box, with the exception of its having blank spaces opposite each number and letter to receive the name of the scholar or reader. This index-sheet is so arranged on the lid of the box that when the latter is open the letters, numbers, and names shall appear correctly in position for being read. The box is placed at a convenient height from the floor so as to allow of its being opened and the hooks used, as

hereinafter described.

Instead of a box, a simple board may be used with the hooks screwed into it; but in this case there would be no means of checking the system by locking up.

The books belonging to the library are numbered by having printed pieces of paper cemented on each. Every book is further pro vided with a check shaped with a shoulder, formed by bending the material of which the check is made at right angles with itself.

In practice I construct the checks from tin plates, by taking a strip three-fourths inch wide and two and a half inches long, perforating it at one end, and making a shoulder half an inch or more from that end. A number is then cemented between the shoulder and the perforation, and the check is ready. Each book possesses a check so constructed, the

number on the book and that on the check corresponding. I also provide one or more catalogue-slips, which it is desirable to keep in prominence for the purpose of enabling the librarian to discover at a glance whatthe name of the book is that is out. On each slip is printed the title or name of every book opposite its number, and as each book has a check marked with the same number, whenever a book is removed from the shelf, the check that belongs to it is hung up on the hook whose number corresponds with the name of the reader taking it. These catalogue-slips are pieces of card-board about nine inches by five,

or any other suitable size, and, as shown in the drawings, a number is printed in one corner, with the word Section above it. Section I, for instance, represents books numbered from 101 to 125; section II, from 201 to 225, each section referring to books kept in a particular portion of the library. Along one side of the slips are numbers corresponding to numbers on the books and their titles, as already described, and part of the card is covered with a paint or varnish, making it into an artificial slate. WVhen used in a Sundayschool, these slates or catalogue-slips are distributed among the scholars, each of whom and finds his name registered thereon opposite a number. That number would then distinguish him from the others, and if. he suspends the check he found in the book chosen to the hook bearing the same number as does .his name on the index-sheet, it is evident that the said book will be credited to him, and whenever the librarian consults the index-sheet in connection with the catalogue-slips and the numbers shown by the checkshung upon the hooks there will be no difficulty in ascertaining who has certain books. It will be imperative, however, that each, person using the system shall'conform to these rules.

Instead of marking each book with a number, necessitating the use of an index-sheet, as described, simpler means may be used. Each hook may have the name of a scholar or reader printed on a card, which is slipped onto the hook, and is so retained. The use of the index-sheet is thereby avoided; but it necessitates a tedious search among the hooks for the name of the scholar. I therefore prefer the former plan.

Reference is directed'to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in which the same characters indicate like parts in all the figures.

Figure I is a view of the apparatus, showing the box A with a number of hooks placed at a suitable distance apart. The cover (marked B) of the box opens outward and downward, and has a printed sheet, styled an indexsheet, E, tacked onto it, for the purpose of showing what name corresponds to any number in box A. O 0 represent catalogueslips, by means of which each book receives a number. D represents a book -shelf with books, each of which hasa number printed on it, as shown, and carries a detachable check numbered the same as the number on the book.

Fig. II shows a broken part of the sheet E for indexing the scholars and the hooks.

Fig. III represents the check F, bearing a 5 number on it, and having a perforation for the purpose of suspension.

Fig. IV represents one of the catalogue-slips or slates, (marked 0 in all the figures.)

Having now fully described my said invention, what I claim, and'desirc to protect by Letters Patent, is

1. An apparatus for keeping a record of books taken from a library, comprising, in combination, a shallow boxearrying suitablysized hooks, with a number on or beside each hook, several book-checks bearing numbers corresponding to numbers on the books in the library, and one or more indexsheets showing names of readers and their corresponding number, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

2. An apparatus for keeping a record of books taken from a library, comprising, in combination, a shallow box carrying numbered hooks, several book-checks shouldered, per forated, and numbered, one or more indexsheets showing the numbers on the hooks and names of readers, and one or more catalogueslips showing the title of each book and its check-number, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

3. An apparatus for keeping a record of books .taken from a library, comprising, in combination, a shallow box carrying numbered hooks, several book-checks shouldered, perforated, and numbered, one or more indexsheets showing the numbers on the hooks and names of readers, and one or more catalogueslips of suitable material, capable of being used as slates for transitory writing, and carrying a list of the library books and the checknumber of each book, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

DAVID \V. NEVIN.

\Vitnesses:

F. W. BURKE, JOHN S. NOBLE. 

